Maryland Department of Natural Resources

Shoreline Change Maps for Tidewater Maryland (PDF format)

contact: Christopher Williams (christopherp.williams@maryland.gov)

PLEASE NOTE: These data are for illustration purposes only. Do not use these documents for navigation, legal purposes, or any critical applications. They were created only to illustrate our publications and are not accurate enough to be used for any other purposes.

These maps are available in Adobe Acrobat PDF format. Unlike raster images, they can be resized without distortion. The maps were created in ArcGIS 8.3 and consist of polyline segments and polygons. The dates of these shorelines range from the mid 1800's to the 1990's.

A complete metadata file accompanies each file. You may also download the complete metadata in a zipped filed here. The metadata describe map projections, attributes, compilation procedures and all other critical parameters necessary to the proper use of the data.

To download or view maps, click on the desired map name in the tables below. Files sizes range from 4 megabytes to 46 megabytes and may require long download times. If you have problems viewing the PDF file in your web browser, save the PDF file to your hard drive and view it directly in Acrobat.

Also available for download are the following GIS data sets:

These maps can be printed from a large-format printer. The MGS Publications Office can print individual maps at a scale of 1:24,000 which produces a map of about 36 x 42 inches. The cost of each printed map is $7.50 plus shipping. Please contact the Publications Office for more information.

Detail from the Annapolis shoreline change map
Shoreline Change Map Example

Shoreline Change Maps by Quadrangle

Place your mouse over the index map below to find a quadrangle name. Click on the map to view or download the PDF map. You can also download file from the quadrangle name table below.
map of chesapeake bay with geologic quad overlay Annapolis Quad Gibson Island Quad Kent Island Quad Love Point Quad Langford Creek Quad Centerville Quad Queenstown Quad Wye Mills Quad Ridgely Quad Denton Quad Hebron Quad Saxis Quad Claiborne Quad St. Michaels Quad Easton Quad Fowling Creek Quad Hobbs Quad Tilghman Quad Oxford Quad Trappe Quad Preston Quad Federalsburg Quad Church Creek Quad Cambridge Quad East New Market Quad Rhodesdale Quad Golden Hill Quad Blackwater River Quad Chicamacomico Quad Mardela Springs Quad Honga Quad Wingate Nanticoke Quad Wetipquin Quad Eden Quad Salisbury Quad Richland Point Quad Bloodsworth Island Quad Deal Island Quad Monie Quad Princess Anne Quad Dividing Creek Quad Snow Hill Selbyville Quad Assawoman Bay Quad Ocean City Quad Public Landing Quad Girdletree Quad Boxiron Quad Whittington Post Quad Kingston Quad Pocomoke City Quad Marion Quad Terrapin Sand Point Quad Kedges Straits Quad Ewell Quad Great Fox Island Quad Crisfield Quad Taylors Island Quad Hudson Quad Point Lookout Quad Tinles Island Quad Berlin Quad Alexandria Quad Mount Vernon Quad Quantico Quad Indian Head Quad Port Tobacco Quad Widewater Quad Nanjemoy Quad Mathias Point Quad Popes Creek Quad Charlotte Hall Quad King George Quad Colonial Beach North Quad Rock Point Quad Stratford Hall Quad Leonardtown Quad St. Clements Island Quad Piney Point Quad Solomons Island Quad St. Georges Island Quad Point No Point Quad Barren Island St. Marys City Quad Hollywood Quad Mechanicsville Quad Broomes Island Quad Cove Point Quad Benedict Quad Prince Frederick Quad Lower Marlboro Quad Bristol Quad North Beach Quad Deale Quad South River Quad Round Bay Quad Curtis Bay Quad Baltimore West Quad Baltimore East Quad Sparrows Point Quad Middle River Quad White Marsh Quad Edgewood Quad Gunpowder Neck Quad Perryman Quad Aberdeen Quad Havre de Grace Northeast Quad Elkton Quad Earleville Quad Cecilton Quad Spesutie Quad Hanesville Quad Betterton Quad Galena Quad Millington Quad Swan Point Rock Hall Quad Chestertown Quad Church Hill Quad
Click on a map name to view shoreline change map in Adobe Acrobat PDF format. You can obtain Acrobat Reader from Adobe's website.
Quadrangle Names and Shorelines Dates Quadrangle Names and Shorelines Dates
A: Aberdeen - 1994 L: Langford Creek - 1846, 1942, 1992
Alexandria - 1862, 1974, 1993 Leonardtown - 1958, 1993
Alexandria - 1862, 1974, 1993 Leonardtown - 1958, 1993
Annapolis - 1847, 1934, 1965, 1976, 1994 Love Point - 1846, 1942, 1976, 1992
Assawoman Bay - 1850, 1942, 1962, 1989 Lower Marlboro - 1859, 1942, 1993
B: Baltimore East - 1975, 1994 M: Mardela Springs - 1988
Baltimore West - 1974, 1994 Marion - 1852, 1942, 1988
Barren Island - 1848, 1942, 1993, 1994 Mathias Point - 1862, 1904, 1961, 1993
Benedict - 1849, 1942, 1944, 1993 Mechanicsville - 1860, 1942, 1944, 1993
Berlin - 1849, 1942, 1962, 1989 Middle River - 1847, 1936, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1994
Betterton - 1845, 1943, 1976, 1995 Millington - 1937, 1976, 1992, 1995
Blackwater River - 1995 Monie - 1849, 1942, 1988
Bloodsworth Island -1942, 1988 Mount Vernon - 1862, 1939, 1973, 1974, 1993
Boxiron - 1850, 1942, 1962, 1989 N: Nanjemoy - 1862, 1903, 1961, 1972, 1993
Bristol - 1942, 1944, 1993, 1994 Nanticoke - 1849, 1942, 1988, 1995
Broomes Island - 1860, 1942, 1960, 1993 North Beach - 1847, 1934, 1960, 1993
C: Cambridge - 1848, 1940, 1943, 1995 North East - 1845, 1976, 1995
Cecilton - 1995 O: Ocean City - 1850, 1942, 1962, 1977, 1989
Centreville - 1992 Oxford - 1847, 1942, 1994
Charlotte Hall - 1868, 1942, 1959, 1993 P: Perryman - 1845, 1976, 1994
Chestertown - 1846, 1992 Piney Point - 1868, 1943, 1958, 1959, 1993
Chicamacomico River -1995 Pocomoke City - 1989
Church Creek -1841, 1942, 1994 Point Lookout - 1849, 1942, 1955, 1993
Church Hill - 1992 Point No Point - 1848, 1943, 1955, 1958, 1993
Claiborne - 1847, 1937, 1942, 1961, 1992, 1994 Popes Creek - 1862, 1943, 1959, 1961, 1993
Colonial Beach North - 1863, 1942, 1958, 1961, 1993 Port Tobacco - 1862, 1973, 1993
Cove Point - 1848, 1942, 1993 Preston - 1848, 1944, 1995
Crisfield - 1851, 1942, 1988 Prince Frederick -1848, 1942, 1960, 1993
Curtis Bay - 1846, 1934, 1975, 1994 Princess Anne - 1988, 1989
D: Deal Island - 1849, 1942, 1988 Public Landing - 1849, 1942, 1961, 1989
Deale - 1846, 1934, 1944, 1994 Q: Quantico - 1862, 1939, 1972, 1993
Denton - 1995 Queenstown - 1846, 1942, 1992
Dividing Creek - 1989 R: Rhodesdale - 1988, 1995
E: Earleville - 1845, 1937, 1976, 1995 Richland Point - 1849, 1942, 1994
East New Market - 1848, 1940, 1944, 1995 Ridgely - 1992
Easton - 1900, 1942, 1995 Rock Hall - 1845, 1942, 1976, 1994
Eden - 1988, 1989 Rock Point - 1868, 1942, 1958, 1959, 1993
Edgewood - 1846, 1974, 1976, 1994 Round Bay - 1845, 1934, 1965, 1976, 1994
Elkton - 1845, 1938, 1976, 1995 S: Salisbury - 1989
Ewell - 1849, 1942, 1988 Saxis - 1851, 1942, 1988, 1989
F: Federalsburg - 1995 Selbyville - 1850, 1942, 1961, 1989
Fowling Creek - 1995 Sharptown - 1989
G: Galena - 1846, 1937, 1943, 1976, 1992, 1995 Snow Hill - 1988, 1989
Gibson Island - 1845, 1898, 1942, 1965, 1975, 1976, 1994 Solomons Island - 1848, 1942, 1943, 1993
Girdletree - 1843, 1942, 1963, 1988, 1989 South River - 1847, 1934, 1944, 1965, 1994
Golden Hill - 1848, 1942, 1994 Sparrows Point - 1846, 1934, 1975, 1976, 1994
Great Fox Island -1849, 1942, 1988 Spesutie - 1846, 1938, 1976, 1995
Gunpowder Neck - 1846, 1933, 1974, 1994 St. Clements Island - 1942, 1958, 1993
H: Hallwood - 1989 St. George Island -1858, 1942, 1943, 1958, 1993
Hanesville - 1845, 1976, 1994 St. Marys City - 1853, 1958, 1993
Havre de Grace -1845, 1976, 1995 St. Michaels - 1847, 1937, 1942, 1992, 1994
Hebron - 1989 Stratford Hall - 1868, 1943, 1958, 1993
Hobbs - 1995 Swan Point - 1846, 1938, 1976, 1994
Hollywood - 1848, 1942, 1993 T: Taylors Island - 1848, 1942, 1994
Honga - 1848, 1942, 1994 Terrapin Sand Point - 1849, 1942, 1988, 1989
Horseshoe Point - 1846, 1847, 1934, 1937, 1943, 1944, 1994 Tilghman - 1847, 1937, 1942, 1994
Hudson - 1847, 1942, 1994 Tingles Island - 1849, 1942, 1962, 1989
I: Indian Head - 1862, 1973, 1993 Trappe - 1848, 1942, 1995
K: Kedges Straits -1942, 1988, 1989 W: Wetipquin - 1849, 1942, 1988
Kent Island - 1844, 1942, 1961, 1976, 1992 White Marsh -1994
King George -1862, 1903, 1961, 1972, 1993 Whittington Point - 1850, 1942, 1962, 1989
Kingston - 1988, 1989 Widewater - 1862, 1904, 1972, 1993
  Wingate - 1849, 1942, 1995
Wye Mills - 1992

Metadata Summary

For the coastal regions of Maryland, the Maryland Geological Survey (MGS) has periodically compiled maps depicting shoreline position at several points in time. The most recent compilation -- the first electronic one -- involved (1) digitizing historical (1841-1977) shoreline maps, all derived directly or indirectly from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration coastal survey maps (topographic or T-sheets), and (2) interpreting recent (1988-1995) shorelines from digital orthophotography. MGS is using the shorelines to update a series of Shoreline Changes maps and to determine coastal land loss, by watershed and by county, during the last half of the 20th century.

This data set contains past shorelines, dating from 1841 to 1995, for 125 7.5-minute quadrangles covering the coastal regions of Maryland (see below). Originally in MicroImage's TNTmips .rvc format, the shoreline vectors have been converted to Arc/Info "Export" (.e00) format. They are registered to the Maryland State Plane Coordinate System (North American Datum of 83, meters).

Spatial Reference Information:

  • Map Projection Name: Lambert Conformal Conic
  • Grid Coordinate System Name: State Plane Coordinate System 1983
  • SPCS Zone Identifier: 1900 (Maryland)
  • Planar Distance Units: meters
  • Horizontal Datum Name: North American Datum of 1983
  • Ellipsoid Name: Geodetic Reference System 80
  • Semi-major Axis: 6,378,137 meters
  • Denominator of Flattening Ratio: 298.257
  • Depth Datum Name: The aerial photography from which the DOQQs were developed was not tide-coordinated. Therefore, shorelines in this data set does not represent a consistent vertical datum.

Shoreline Attributes

  • beach
  • vegetated
  • structure
  • water's edge

All four categories are linear features, except "beach", which, if sufficiently wide, can be both linear and polygonal. Shorelines were merged into 7.5-minute quadrangles, provided that the aerial photography on which the DOQQs were based was flown in the same year.

Please see the complete metadata online or attached to each downloaded data file.


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